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TA Programs » TDGA Program » TDGA Call

Call for Teaching Development Graduate Assistants (TDGAs)

TDGA Program Overview | Nomination Form

We are writing to invite submissions for Teaching Development Graduate Assistantship (TDGA) appointments for 2011- 2012. As you know, the TDGA program provides teaching development resources for TAs within departments/divisions to complement the more general TA development programming provided by the Centre for the Support of Teaching (CST). Please see below for a more detailed description of the TDGA role and terms of appointment.

Graduate Studies is providing 40 half-GA positions to the CST for TDGA appointments for the 2011- 2012 academic year at no cost to academic units involved. The TDGA appointment typically begins in the Fall and/or Winter term[s], but a TDGA may, as required, begin and complete less than 20% of the assigned hours in the Summer term.

For those programs that may require that the TDGA complete more than 20% of the assigned hours during the summer term, FGS is happy to announce a new option: you may request a half TDGA summer appointment for this purpose. Only eligible doctoral candidates will be considered for these appointments.

In order to provide some flexibility as to how these half-GA appointments can be utilized, departments/divisions may consider the following options:

  • A Department/division that employs a doctoral student may request that the student holding a full TA (2 assignments) may also hold a TDGA. Note that priority for these types of TDGAs must be given to a student in PhD 5 or a student in other years of the PhD program for which the Minimum Guarantee is not met. A doctoral student may be allocated a full TA and a half GA, with prior approval from FGS subject to review of the student’s funding package. Nominees who hold an external scholarship cannot be approved for an FGS funded TDGA appointment. In some instances, however, FGS may approve a nominee for TDGA appointment if the program is willing to assume the cost of the appointment. Please contact FGS as soon as is possible should the issue arise with regard to your nominee. A student holding a full TA and a half GA under this program will not be able to hold a TA in the summer as well. This should not be a problem, provided that the student is identified, ideally, by the end of April 2012. The TDGA will be paid at the CUPE Unit 3 rate, with some additional funding to cover the balance of the Minimum Guarantee or funding package.
  • In a department/division where a student is able to hold a half TA and a half GA through the Fall and/or Winter term, such arrangements may be continued (e.g. where there are no doctoral students, and a master’s student is awarded the TDGA, or in some of the sciences, such as Mathematics and Physics). The TDGAs will receive funding equivalent to the value of one full TA, through a combination of a half TA, and half GA, and research assistantship income.
  • There is no longer a requirement for TDGAs to be assigned in pairs within a department/division or group of departments, although they can continue to be set up that way, where it is appropriate.
  • A master’s student may not be allocated more than a half TA and half GA and may not hold an external scholarship or other funding. Master’s students do not have priority for TDGAs and will only be considered in special circumstances.

TDGA Terms of Appointment

At minimum, a graduate student assigned a half TDGA must undertake 135 hours of GA work. For either assignment, the TDGA must:

  • organize at least five hours of discipline-specific teaching workshops for the unit;
  • work in collaboration with the Graduate Teaching Associate(s) and TDGA Coordinator at the CST to ensure that the discipline-related components of the University Teaching Practicum are provided;
  • attend the orientation session for TDGAs organized by the CST (held in August) and regularly scheduled meetings throughout the year with the Graduate Teaching Associates and TDGA Coordinator. This year’s orientation will be held on Monday, August 08 2011, 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., 1014 TEL
  • attend the ‘Meet your TDGA session’ of TA Day 2011 set for Thursday, August 25, 2011, Accolade East
  • attend CST’s 2011/2012 TA Conversation Monthly Lunches. Please see 'Important Dates'
  • report on the programming delivered in 2011-2012. A written report must be submitted the Associate Director, CST, who will send copies to the unit Chair/Graduate Program Director, and Faculty Liaison. This report must be submitted by mid-April 2012. (Please see the Year End Report Template).

We encourage each department/division to employ the above description in the completion of the Graduate Assistant Workload Form. The CST requests that a copy of the completed workload form for the assigned 2011/12 TDGA be forwarded to the Centre at 1050 TEL Building.

CST Administrative Support

The Centre for the Support of Teaching will direct the administration of the program to ensure that the departments/divisions and students are, where necessary, identified early enough to make the organization of some of the work during summer a viable possibility. Typically these positions are held from September through April.

Departments/divisions wishing to take advantage of this program are expected to consult with relevant graduate program directors with respect to the program and the student to be appointed. This will ensure that the student is not being asked to take on more than the required ten hours of work per week, and that the most appropriate candidate is selected. In the event that there are more requests than positions available, the CST will consult with FGS and Faculty Associate Deans to establish priorities.

Unit Oversight

Each participating department/division is required to designate one faculty member to serve as the Faculty Liaison. The designated Faculty Liaison must be identified on the TDGA Nomination Form. The role requires that s/he guide and supervise the TDGA activity. The role may also include participation in the planning of wider activities of the University Teaching Practicum with the Centre for the Support of Teaching. Please see the TDGA Program Description, for more on the Faculty Liaison role.

The CST hosts an annual Faculty Liaison Luncheon following after the TDGA Orientation session. This year’s luncheon will be held on Monday, August 08, 2011, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m., in 1014 TEL Building. The luncheon is an opportunity to share best practices around supporting TDGAs in their roles and to share ideas for developing their roles as Faculty Liaisons with faculty likewise appointed to that role.

We hope that you will give this nomination serious consideration and look forward to working with your TDGA in the coming year.

Units who wish to participate in this program for 2011/12 Fall/Winter program must complete the Online TDGA Nomination Form no later than Monday, May 30, 2011.

Programs wishing to submit a nominee for the SU TDGA 2011 appointments must do so no later than Monday, May 2, 2011.

Please contact us if you have specific questions:

Attachments:

  1. The Teaching Development Graduate Assistant Program
  2. TDGA Nomination Form
  3. TDGA Year End Report Template